Chu The Phat - South Brisbane

TL;DR: We have ourselves something that goes above and beyond, and is possibly even a special treat. It is not very often that something where everything is firing on all cylinders makes such an apparent appearance, and it is even rarer that it is readily accessible and does not feel exclusive or anything. Many words could be used to describe here, but the best course of action is to book it in sometime and enjoy what is in store.  Indicative of glories from the past, and indicative of a recurring chapter in redeveloping the inner city comes of the biggest up-and-coming winners to Brisbane's dining scene. From the brainchild behind massive favourite Madame Wu's is the next cab off the rank in the form of Chu the Phat. Chu the Phat is one all-round eclectic sort of entity, regarding in how it appears, with the energy that it has in its walls, the fare on offer, plus it is one that is suited to all sorts of occasions. They have gotten it just right here, with the flair of somewhere in the inner-north area matching with the inner-south's love of trying new kinds of cuisines. That is a feat that alone should be a reason to come here. It was time again to meet up with a friend of mine after another short while, which was the usual mode of arranging somewhere to meet. This time around, she was without a car so it was going to be inner-city that the arrangements were made. Going on from previous times, I met her around the Cultural Center and it was from there that I knew there was a good array of options at our disposal. In the end though, that search did not go for long; two reasons with the major one being that both of us were quite hungry and that this was the first cab off the rank - as it was being done on the fly, looking at the menu it sounded quite good and before long both of us were being seated up-stairs and about to enjoy a good meal out. Except, it was a great meal out instead.  When some places go to put effort into their decor, it is one that is worth noting. Most of the time, it is slight touches here and there with decorations to represent what kind of food they are wanting to serve, or their general atmosphere. However, once in a while there is something which goes to such an effort that it is obvious that they did not spare any expense, and this is one of those times. The building which they have used on Fish Lane used to stand empty a while back if memory serves me correctly, and it has appropriately utilised the size and multiple levels to an excellent degree. Going in here it is almost like you are in another city entirely, possibly on the backstreets of Hanoi, or Bangkok, or maybe even Singapore. The ambiance adds a lot to it, as it is simultaneously noisy but also quite relaxing. Loud banter emits from the tables around you, the kitchen is open and in the middle thus you can hear all of the commotion from it with the cooking sounds and everything; this is one place which truly feels alive during the night. This is all over two stories worth of space, and is akin to a labyrinthine alleyway - and that is possibly the biggest gold star it can be given. The next thing that is key about the place is the level and calibre of the service, and boy do they seem to know how to do customer service here. While I can't point to anything that is out of the ordinary with the service, what was definitely apparent was how well organised they were and how attentive they were as well to each on of the clientele. From the moment you arrive, you are taken care of. It is with all the touches from the moment you sit at the table, which is already set and cleaned well, and they keep on coming back throughout the night to ensure a good night is being had. Food arrives fairly quickly, with enough time to soak in and enjoy your time here. The menu is something that is quite different from normal, and is among one of its biggest strengths. It has almost become passe to say this now, but I definitely had a hard time trying to choose what to have, or even just to whittle it down to a few choices. When it is the latter, then what is apparent is that the menu is fantastic. At no point on the menu does it seem like the usual array of options being offered, and it is hard to pinpoint the kind of cuisine they are offering as well. Whatever the case may be, take any country in South-East Asia and go onto the streets and something similar will be here in some form. First order of business was the drinks. Since they did the coffee here, it was exactly that that I got. I can't honestly remember what the name of the coffee that they use is, but regardless the coffee was decent enough. It was strong, had a decent extraction and tasted alright. For what it is worth, this would do and it was definitely above passable. What made up for it was what came afterwards, which was some mighty fine fare. After the drinks were taken care of, it was time to get onto the meals. First order of business though, getting some starters - you know you have to. A couple of these were ordered, with one that I got on pretty much a dare - pig tails - and trout fillets smoked in a chilli and black vinegar sauce. Both of these snacks were quite good, and definitely worth a go - though I am sure the same could well be said for any other selection. The trout fillets were tasty, with a slightly fish flavour coming through the flesh - though still mild by most standards. They were moreish and tender, with the sauce slightly strong and giving it a good bite. The same can be said with the pig tails, which were a lot like pork belly in many ways - heaps of crispy skin, quite a bit of fat that was cooked slowly until it became like butter, and the sauce was slightly caramel and sticky - not bad at all, and a good little chew before the more substantial stuff came along. Let's just say one last time that a hard time will be had in trying to decide what to get. The choices ending up being "Nanna annas chili chicken" and dan dan noodles with pig cheek and pickles. Again, both of them were really good. Albeit not really deep fried, it had a similar texture and aroma to it with the former one, and was tasty nevertheless. The sauce surrounding it was a combination of sweet and spicy, it was thick and tasty, plus the meat was juicy, tender, and the bits were quite big - they possibly used some good thigh meat for this one. The noddles were also good, and were a light contrast to the somewhat heavy chicken. The noodles were tender and lightly cooked, the pork meat was substantial and moreish, plus the mushrooms were at just the right texture in being cooked. In addition to that, the mixture of peanuts on the side gave it a crunchier texture and aroma, and mixed together, it was not too bad at all. Certainly one of the more unique dishes around, and one that is well-balanced in flavour, texture and aroma. Kudos is certainly due here. On top of those two meals, a couple of bowls of steamed rice also came on the side. That is a touch that elevates it just a bit more, all which accumulates in the end. That rice was fluffy, hot, and soft, with a nice subtle flavour. The serving sizes of it were substantial, and they were readily replaced where necessary. During the meal here, there was the next order of business being discussed afterwards and that was finding some place for dessert; that was until I managed to note out of the corner of my eye that there was a small dessert menu - as it was already mentioned. With a combination of chocolate custard, some green tea ice cream and a finish of crumbled macadamia nuts, how could this not sound tempting? This was a great way to finish off the meal. The custard was thick and rich, plus not too sweet either, and the green tea ice cream was simply delicious, cold and creamy. The macadamia nuts simply made for a more complex taste, and gave it a little bit of texture, and mixed all up this was one dessert meal that is certainly worth the time getting. And with that, it rounded up one delicious and memorable meal out. Not many places are able to do what they have managed to achieve, along with additionally managing to keep it all at a high level of quality. This place would be perfect no matter what the number of people in tow is (seriously, just see the banquet menu for a real treat), and no matter what the occasion may be with the gathering - from something official, to a meal out on the fly, to a mere drink out nearing the end of the working week. The fact that it can fit almost any niche with such ease and flair should be able to speak volumes about Chu the Phat. There is little to no doubt about this place, without making any hesitations since opening it has gone on to make a splash. With the popularity and sheer number of people whom were dining here, and not to mention the back-catalog from the owners is enough to prove that Chu the Phat is worth its salt - even by merely hearsay. It is not often that from the initial first impression, and all the way to the end of the meal that a place is able to truly keep up and maintain its luster. That is what Chu the Phat is like, and at no time was there any kind of lacking to be found. This has some of the tastiest, boldest and most unique food that is around, the atmosphere and decor could make it well be in a world class city's inner area, and not to mention that it is constantly in a buzz with so much energy and customer service of a high caliber. Chu the Phat, without an ounce of doubt, must be on the recommended list and be tried out for what it is.

TL;DR: We have ourselves something that goes above and beyond, and is possibly even a special treat. It is not very often that something where everything is firing on all cylinders makes such an apparent appearance, and it is even rarer that it is readily accessible and does not feel exclusive or anything. Many words could be used to describe here, but the best course of action is to book it in sometime and enjoy what is in store.  Indicative of glories from the past, and indicative of a recurring chapter in redeveloping the inner city comes of the biggest up-and-coming winners to Brisbane's dining scene. From the brainchild behind massive favourite Madame Wu's is the next cab off the rank in the form of Chu the Phat. Chu the Phat is one all-round eclectic sort of entity, regarding in how it appears, with the energy that it has in its walls, the fare on offer, plus it is one that is suited to all sorts of occasions. They have gotten it just right here, with the... read more

Chu The Phat has been on the Wishlist for very long time and finally got to try it out after reservation. Love the stylish interior and the atmosphere, however the food does not match with the high expectation. Fusion menu is creative but the taste is average, also not really good value for money.

Sunday lunch, restaurant was not that busy. Entrees came out after 30mins, mains took another hour for a table of three. A table of diners seated near us left as they were sick of waiting for food. Restaurant is very unorganised, a lot of inexperienced wait staff running around and what appeared to be only one person on the floor who knew what was going on. Food finally arrived and was so salty it was inedible. We left without finishing any of the meals.

Walked in at 7:15 and had to wait for a table so had a few drinks downstairs until we were seated upstairs at the restaurant a bit over an hour later. Smoked beef tongue was my favourite dish of the night. Beef kalbi probably my least favourite - just needed a bit longer cook as it was tougher than what I was expecting. During dinner I was unsure as to which rose to order by the glass so the waitress gave me a taste test of each. Overall a fun dining experience and will be back!!